The Korea Times-APLN Essay Contest awards 6 students

The Korea Times President-Publisher Oh Young-jin, left, Asia-Pacific Leadership Network for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (APLN) Vice Chairman and Executive Director Moon Chung-in, third from right, and Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs Ham Sang-wook, second from right, applaud two of the winners of The Korea Times-APLN Essay Contest, Lee Sang-ou and Lee Yoon-ki, second and third from left, respectively, during an award ceremony at the newspaper's office in central Seoul, Friday (KST). At right is The Korea Times Managing Editor Kim Jae-kyoung. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

By Jung Da-min

The Korea Times and the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (APLN) awarded the winners of their essay contest for young people on issues of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, Friday (KST). The contest was held for the second straight year after last year's inaugural one.

Supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Korea Times-APLN Essay Contest was open to graduate and undergraduate students under the theme, "Youth, Disarmament and Peace in the Asia-Pacific Region."

A total of six essayists received awards presented by The Korea Times President-Publisher Oh Young-jin, APLN Vice Chairman and Executive Director Moon Chung-in and Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs Ham Sang-wook.

Five of the six recipients participated in the ceremony held at the newspaper's office in central Seoul, online or offline and from Korea or abroad, amid the COVID-19 pandemic situation. "We may be in this small conference room but our aspirations for peace, as shown by the winners, couldn't be bigger," Oh said in his congratulatory remarks.

The award ceremony for The Korea Times-APNL Essay Contest is held at the newspaper's office in central Seoul, Friday (KST), with participants joining online or offline. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Oh said establishing a basic rule of engagement is needed to keep peace in the post-Cold War era amid the continuing nuclear threat in the Northeast Asian region.

"The United States and China, two nuclear powers, are competing with each other so fiercely as to stir Thucydides in his tomb. Russia may have lost its superpower status but its nuclear arsenal remains intact and we don't want to test its willingness to use it. Closer to where we are is a nuclear-armed North Korea that has a sizable nuclear arsenal and is capable of delivering it long and short haul," Oh added.

APLN Vice Chairman Moon congratulated the winners, saying the essay contest was designed to enhance public awareness of the dangers and risks of nuclear proliferation.

"I hope this essay contest would make a contribution to spreading information on risks of nuclear proliferation and promoting understanding of the dangers of nuclear proliferation. And also we hope we can come up with some kind of empathy among news outlets to fight against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction," Moon said, adding that he hopes the winning essays would be widely shared in the media across the Asia-Pacific to be well used to fight against proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Dustin Edward Hinkley, a graduate student at American University, receives an honorable mention in The Korea Times-APLN Essay Contest, while participating online in the award ceremony held at the newspaper's office in central Seoul, Friday (KST). At right is Asia-Pacific Leadership Network for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (APLN) Vice Chairman and Executive Director Moon Chung-in. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

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Deputy Minister Ham said the contest was especially meaningful in that it offered a valuable opportunity to hear the voices of the younger generation.

"Indeed, it is our pressing task to educate, engage and empower the youth in the areas of disarmament and non-proliferation, among others. Doing so will have a direct and lasting impact in our joint efforts to shape a more peaceful, prosperous and sustainable future," he said. "And I look forward to hearing more from our next generation through various platforms, including this contest. I am confident that your voices and ideas will move us forward to securing our common future."

Tanya Ogilvie-White, a senior research adviser for the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (APLN) who was a contest judge, delivers congratulatory remarks to the winners of The Korea Times-APNL Essay Contest, while participating online in the award ceremony held at the newspaper's office in Seoul, Friday (KST). Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Tanya Ogilvie-White, an APLN senior research adviser who was one of the contest judges, said she was impressed by the competition entrants as a person committed to reducing and eventually eliminating nuclear weapons.

"The two broad themes, nuclear governance and emerging nuclear trends, generated very diverse submissions. From proposals to achieve peace and a nuclear summit on the Korean Peninsula to the application of new technologies to help to drive the elimination of nuclear weapons and timely submission on serious safety and security risks posed by the AUKUS submarine deal," she said, adding that she believes all of the contained subjects and ideas could be developed further.

She also said encouraging creative thinking and fostering expertise is more important than ever as she believes some of today's scholars will be tomorrow's practitioners.

Philip Chennery, a graduate student at SOAS University of London, receives the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Award, the top award of The Korea Times-APLN Essay Contest, while participating online in the award ceremony held at the newspaper's office in central Seoul, Friday (KST). At right is Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs Ham Sang-wook. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Philip Chennery, a graduate student at SOAS University of London, won the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Award, the top award, and participated online in the award ceremony. He also received 2 million won ($1,670) and an award plaque.

"I hope through my writing I showed that establishing groups of communication through the noise is the key to cooperative coexistence," he said.

Lee Sang-ou, a student at Korea National Open University, won The Korea Times Award, while Miriam Astrid Machado Rieback, a graduate student at Korea University, took The Asia-Pacific Leadership Network Award.

They each received 1 million won and a plaque.

Three others received honorable mentions ― Hanyang University student Lee Yoon-ki, American University graduate student Dustin Edward Hinkley and University of Oslo graduate student Jamie Withorne.

They each received 500,000 won and a plaque.